Reports
The Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy is examining the extent to which local governments are using their ARPA recovery funds to advance equity and documenting best practices, examples, and lessons learned from the local ARPA experience. Our publications share insights to inform local budgeting and investments as well as federal and state policy.
Advancing Equity with the American Rescue Plan Act's Local Recovery Funds
Examining ARPA investment strategies and investments, we found that leading local governments — in partnership with community-based organizations and advocates — are fulfilling ARPA's promise to advance equity. This report shares that progress and presents recommendations for how federal and local policy can build upon ARPA's strengths to deliver equitable public investments now and in the future.
Case Studies: Advancing Racial Equity with the American Rescue Plan Act’s Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
This brief features case studies of four communities — Boston; Los Angeles County; Savannah, Georgia; and St. Louis — that illustrate how local governments can center equity in the process of selecting investments and dedicate the funds to projects with the best promise to advance equity.
The Role of Chief Equity Officers in Advancing Racial Equity with ARPA’s Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
This research illuminates the important role that chief equity officers, as internal equity experts, can play throughout the process of public investment — from ensuring that equity principles and the voices of impacted communities are centered in the initial decision-making about what investments to make, to carrying equity throughout the implementation and evaluation process.
Will ARPA’s Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Advance Racial Equity?
Our analysis of the initial performance reports of 63 large cities, produced in partnership with PolicyLink, found that most of these cities named equity as a priority in their recovery plans and slightly more than a third of cities were using or planning to use at least one equity framework or tool to guide their ARPA allocation decisions.